And the host city is….. Tel Aviv!

After a long wait, we finally know more about the 2019 contest! It has been announced that Eurovision 2019 will be held in Tel Aviv. The decision was made by the Eurovision Reference Group after the Israeli broadcaster presented bids for two potential host cities.

The last we heard was that the decision was between the nation’s capital city, Jerusalem and fan preference Tel Aviv, and due to the bid that Tel Aviv put forward, the reference group decided that this would be the ideal position to host Eurovision 2019.

Tel Aviv is Israel’s second largest city and is known for being constantly buzzing. It’s located on the Mediterranean coast and has a population of over 400,000 people. The competition will be held at the EXPO Tel Aviv (International Convention Centre).

Additionally, we also know the dates of next year’s contest. The semi-finals will take place on the 14th and 16 of May, and the final on the 18th of May.

This marks the first time that Tel Aviv will be hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, as Jerusalem has previously been the host city when the contest has been in Israel. EBU Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand has also commented on the city’s new role, saying:

“We’d like to thank all the Israeli cities who bid to host the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, and KAN who conducted an expert and thorough assessment to help us make the final decision. All the bids were exemplary but in the end we decided that Tel Aviv provides the best overall setup for the world’s largest live music event. We are excited to bring the Contest to a brand new city and are looking forward to working together with KAN to make 2019’s Eurovision Song Contest the most spectacular one yet.”

The Chairman of the ESC Reference Group, Frank-Dieter Freiling has also commented, saying,

“We look forward to working with KAN to bring the Contest to Tel Aviv for the first time. “We are expecting to receive guarantees from the Prime Minister this week in regards to security, access for everyone to attend, freedom of expression and ensuring the non-political nature of the Contest. These guarantees are imperative in order for us to move forward with the planning of the event and to uphold the Eurovision Song Contest values of diversity and inclusivity.”

Tickets are expected to go on sale by the end of the year, but stay tuned for more news!